Forth & Clyde Canal

Rivers and Canals

The Forth & Clyde Canal crosses central Scotland east to west and is linked to the Union Canal via the Falkirk Wheel.

Fully refurbished in 2002, the 35 mile-long Forth & Clyde Canal crosses central Scotland from the Bowling Basin on the River Clyde to the Forth estuary at the River Carron.

With the building work beginning in 1768, the Forth & Clyde Canal was the first canal to be built in Scotland and played a vital part in the Scottish Industrial Revolution by helping to transport materials.

Today the Forth & Clyde Canal is the popular host of a variety of activities including boating, fishing, cycling, walking and wildlife spotting. It passes through many bustling towns and tranquil countryside locations, and a popular attraction is the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first rotating boat.